Participants at the sip and paint event conducted by Kaleidoscope
| Photo Credit: KR Deepak
It’s a balmy winter Wednesday morning in Visakhapatnam. At a popular restaurant in the heart of the city, people start coming in, greeting each other as they settle towards a table with art paper and paintbrushes and water colours. “So today we are all going to bring out the artist in us! Are you ready for it?” hollers a voice pointing towards a floral sketch. This isn’t your typical art class. The idea is pretty straightforward – sip a mocktail and paint your picture, supervised by an artist who gives step-by-step instructions to complete an artwork.
‘Sip and Paint’ events are the latest trend in Visakhapatnam. The city-based group Kaleidoscope recently conducted its third event which was hosted by artist Anita Rao. The participants, a motley group of people, flicked the shades of crimson and green and brought out tonal variations to create a stunning piece of floral painting on a frame at the end of it. “I use some shortcuts and teach the participants tricks so that even those without any art exposure or prior experience will find it easy,” says Anita.
“The idea behind Kaleidoscope is create a platform for artists and help people explore their creative side while having fun while designing your own art piece that you can take home,” says Sumana Yarlagadda, who along with Alekhya Arumilli and Indira Devi Yarlagadda started the group last year. The themes of the paintings are often inspired by landscapes, silhouettes and floral motifs. The participants can choose from a plethora of brushes that help complete the artwork details provided by the artist.
Participants at the sip and paint event conducted by Kaleidoscope in Visakhapatnam
| Photo Credit:
KR Deepak
Anushree N, who started Spacecoco with the aim to make art accessible to all and a fun way to bond, paints along with the participants while giving them creative freedom to select the colours on the artwork. “I have worked with the medium of acrylic on canvas board, which is easier for beginners and also covers up errors easily. While we provide them the image picture that they will create during the session, every participant goes back with some uniqueness they decide to give to the artwork. We have had participants who have painted the sky pink!” says Anushree, who conducts these sessions for all age groups.
The participants take home not just a beautiful piece of artwork, but also some memorable experiences. “The feeling of looking at a beautiful finished piece of artwork is hugely satisfying. It was also a very calming experience to dabble in art and take a break from our routine while bonding with the participants,” says Niveditha K, one of the participants.
V Jyothi Shree, who took a break from the corporate world, will be conducting her first event in Visakhapatnam on February 4 with an artist from Cuttack. “When I was in Hyderabad, I had seen some of the cafes hosting ‘sip and paint’ events and felt it was a great way to unplug and de-stress. My idea is to make this a monthly event,” she says.
